My training History: I trained less than one year before competing in my first powerlifting meet as a teenager back in 1983. Before leaving the sport in 2005 I achieved my elitefts status in the 198,220,242,275 & 308 weight class. Throughout these years I did have a 3 year run in the bodybuilding world. Loved the training didn't like the competing aspect so I went back to my first love, powerlifting. Injuries have been a part of my life ever since I can remember and were the biggest reason for leaving the sport (I can no longer hold a squat bar on my back). I have degenerative joint disease, have had two shoulder surgeries (right shoulder now needs replaced), one full hip replacement, knee surgery, herniations in all three regions of my spine, Bone spurs in places I didn't know you could get them, planter facetious, tendonitis and bursitis. I can't even begin to list the number of muscle tears I have had, surgical and non surgical. I am "The Mashed Up Meathead" and this is my story.
You can find my training log archives HERE and my most current training log posts HERE.
My best lifts are behind be but my best training is yet to come.
* Unless otherwise noted the tempo of the work sets is about 1/2 of what most would consider normal. In most cases, if I did the set with normal temp what I fail at with 8-10 reps in training I could do for 20 reps with a normal tempo. This is to keep the joint stress down while increase the stress on the muscle. I have found this to work best for me provided the conditions listed in my training history above.
Sunday
Barbell Press with 25 Pound Plates Hanging off Bar
* 6 warm up sets with the bar and 25 pound plates hanging off each end of the bar using the spud yoke straps. I don't like these for the intention they were made for so I am playing around with them to see what other uses they can be used for before committing to add them to our cart. I did like using them with this as it caused me to stay WAY tighter on the bench but not in a way that screws my shoulders up like the bamboo bar does.
* Add one plate per side and did 5 sets of 10 reps.
Decline Hammer Press
*3-4 warm up sets
* 4 work sets of 10-12 to failure
Machine Fly
* 2 warm up sets
* 5 sets 12-15 (to failure)
Cable Fly
* 2 warm up sets
* 5 sets 12-15 (to failure)
Barbell Push Ups
* 100 total reps - no idea how many sets.
Dumbbell Fly - Loaded Stretch - 60 count
Tuesday
Cardio - 10 minutes bike
Standing Shoulder Raise
* 2 warm up sets 20
* 4 work sets 10-12 (to failure)
* 1 set of 4 with 20 second eccentric
Blast Strap Pull Aparts
* 5 sets 15-20 (to failure)
Rear Delt Machine
* 3 warm up sets of 8
* 2 sets of 25-30 reps (to failure)
Side Dumbbell Swings
* 2 sets 50
Hise Shrugs
* 4 sets of 12-15
Incline Ab Machine
* 2 sets 12
Thursday
Bike - 10 minutes
Swiss Pulldown Bar
* 4 warm up sets wide grip
* 3 work sets with each grip (6 total sets) x 8-10 reps (to failure)
Tsunami Bar Straight Arm Pull Over
* 4 sets 12- 15 (to failure)
Low Rows - DD Handle
" 2 warm up sets
* 5 sets 10-12 (to failure)
DD Reverse Seat Pull Down
* 5 sets 10-12 (to failure)
Blast Strap Rows
* 1 set of 4 reps with 15 second eccentric
* 1 set loaded stretch of 60 seconds
Hyperextension
* 50 reps
Friday
Cardio - 10 minutes
Short Tsunami Bar Pushdowns
* 4 warm up sets of 20
* 4 work sets of 8/8/8 (8 reps wide/ medium/ close)
Tate Press with KB
* 5 sets of 6-8 (to failure)
French Press - standing overhead
* 4 sets 10-12 (to failure)
* 1 set of 4 using 20 second eccentrics
* 1 set - loaded stretch for 60 count
Dumbell Curls
* 2 warm up sets
* 4 sets 8-10 (to failure)
Hammer Curls with KB
* 3 sets 12- 15 (to failure)
Standing Face Curls
* 2 warm up sets
* 4 work sets of 10-12 (to failure)
* Loaded stretch for 60 count on the last rep of last set
Saturday
DD - Comfort Grip Pull Downs
* 4 warm up sets of 10-12
* 5 work sets of 8-10
MAG Grip Low Rows
* 2 warm up sets of 10
* 4 work sets of 10-12
Standing KB Rows
* 2 warm up sets
* 3 drop sets (3 drops each set - 10-12 reps per set)
Blast Strap Rows
* 3 sets 15-20 (to failure)
* 1 set 4 reps with 15 second eccentric
Tsunami Bar Straight Arm Pulldown
* 3 sets 15-20 (to failure)
Sunday
Seated Leg Curl
* 4 warm up sets of 10-15 reps
* 3 work sets of 10-12 (to failure)
* 1 set of 8 with 30 partials
Leg Press
* Started with 4 plates per side for sets of 10. This was easy and added one plate per side for each set until 14 plates per side. All sets were for 10 reps
* dropped to 5 plates per side for 100 reps
Leg Extensions
* 4 sets of 15 full reps and 15 partial reps (out of bottom)
Hip Adduction
* 4 sets 15-20 (failure)
Glute Press
* 3 sets 15-20 (failure)
Hip Abducation
* 2 sets of 15 - light
Later in day - 30 minutes of treadmill
Notes:
* weight is now 275. I should be dropping two pounds per week - 2 lbs per week should be a normal drop from this point on. If this doesn't happened then either cardio goes up or carbs drop down. I will judge this based on how I look and feel.
* MAT session on Wed showed my back was off and it was also noticeable we have some more work to do with it. Nothing acute but it doesn't feel like it should - this lower back work was pulled until we get this firing right.
* With the exception of the weekend all my training sessions have been at night. I really need to change this as soon as I get two other projects out of the way (these require my work during the day). I haven't had to miss a session in a while but I did have to shuffle some days around this week.
* No real bad cravings t this point and the weight is still coming off well.